FARMERS' RIVALRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 147, 24 June 1933, Page 11

FARMERS' RIVALRY.

MILK TEST SECRECY.

THE "SUPERIORITY COMPLEX"

STORIES BY DR. MARSDETT.

Three "true stories" were told l>y tlie secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr. E. Marsden, in his address to the National Dairy Conference in Hamilton. "After grading of milk for cheese was inaugurated last year, most factory managers jiosted lists of tlie results either by names or reference numbers," said Dr. Marsden. "Very soon they had to cease this practice, because the second grade suppliers objected and the directors did not desire to create friction. "A school inspector a few months ago, in a dairying district, was examining Standards V. and VI. lie wished to take some examples in arithmetic from local information, and asked several pupils as to the average teat of milk produced at their farms. He was told in each case that the parents had forbidden that milk tests were to be mentioned to other pupils or to any other person. "My third story comes from Yorkshire, and happened six months ago. It was told in a letter from a professor of agriculture. At two neighbouring towns, A and B, the average price of eggs was 1/1 and 1/3 per dozen. Certain suppliers of better reputation secured sometimes -Jd more per dozen than the average. The new compulsory marketing scheme was brought into force, and for standard eggs of a certain grade the common price at both towns rose to 1/4, i.e., all the same price. Everybody gained, but intense dissatisfaction arose, because certain suppliers who used to get a slight premium no longer obtained a better price, although their neighbours could only offer a smaller proportion of eggs lip to the required standard or were successful in improving their whole consignment. Tlie dissatisfied farmers, or their wives, although they had a better return themselves, felt deeply the loss of their 'superiority complex.' "I will leave you to think out the moral of these three stories," said Dr. Marsden, "and don't jet annoyed or get an inferiority complex. Other industries arc no better."